


The Wallet

by wesleyfanfiction_archivist



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-27
Updated: 2003-12-27
Packaged: 2018-07-12 08:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7093456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wesleyfanfiction_archivist/pseuds/wesleyfanfiction_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gunn - wallet - hopeful</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wallet

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Versaphile, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [WesleyFanfiction.net](http://fanlore.org/wiki/WesleyFanFiction.Net). Deciding that it needed to have a more long-term home, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact the e-mail address on [WesleyFanfiction.net collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wesleyfanfiction/profile).

Gunn brushed past Fred and walked down the stairs. This was not a conversation he wanted to be having. “I think we should just forget about him.”

“Why?” Fred’s eyes were wide with confusion. “Wesley’s our friend. He’s always been there for us, why can’t we be there for him?”

Gunn stopped halfway down the stairs but didn’t turn around. The shame he felt pressed upon him, made him feel hot and weighted down like thick blankets during the summer. “He was there for us because that was his job. It’s not our job to look out for him anymore.”

Fred hurried down the stairs before Gunn could make it to the lobby. “I know he hurt you. He hurt all of us. But that doesn’t mean we just forget about him. I don’t understand why you’re being like this. You’ve known Wesley longer than I have, I’d think that-“

“Exactly,” interrupted Gunn. “I’ve known him longer than you. Trust me, we’re better off without him.”

“How are we better off without him? He was our boss. And our friend- your best friend, I might add-“

At Fred’s words Gunn’s face hardened. “We weren’t that close,” he said walking past her and into the lobby.

Staring at him in disbelief Fred didn’t move from the stairs. “I know you’re hurting, Charles.” She spoke so softly Gunn had to stop and turn around to fully hear her. “We all are, but right now more than ever Wesley needs his friends.” She was silent for a moment, hoping a dramatic pause would carry the weight of her words. “He needs you, Charles. And whether or not you want to admit it, you need him.”

“No,” he said shaking his head. “He betrayed us, Fred. Can’t you see that? I trusted him and he betrayed that trust. And I’m not hurting. I’m angry. There aren’t many people I’d give my life for- Wesley was one of them. But I’ve learned my lesson and-“

“This isn’t you, Charles. You don’t give up on people you love unless they’ve hurt you beyond repair and this- this mess, isn’t beyond repair. You’ve done things that Wesley has forgiven you for- what makes this any different?”

//The difference is I love him.//, Gunn thought bitterly. //The difference is I feel for him in ways he would never feel for me.// But Fred would not understand if he said those words out loud. She wouldn’t understand that she’d simply been the prize in a jealousy contest Wesley didn’t even know he’d been playing. Gunn wasn’t about to explain it to her.

How seeing Wesley smile at Fred had sent sharp pains like daggers into his heart. How he’d felt the need to show Wesley what that pain felt like… and how Fred had chosen the wrong man, the man who’d never love her. 

He knew all the right things to say of course. Fred made it so easy to follow her lead. But in the end that’s all it was, following her lead. There was no real love involved; not in the way she wanted there to be.

“I said I don’t want to talk about this,” he said finally, hoping the warning in his voice would be enough. Judging by her face, it was.

“Ok, Charles, if that’s how you want it,” said Fred sadly. She slowly made her way down the stairs and walked to the front door. “I’m going out. I need some air.” As she opened the door Lorne walked in.

“Thanks, Chicka. Whew, it’s hotter than a Marchuck Demon in a tube top out there.” His grin faded as he felt the tension in the room. “But it certainly is icy in here,” he muttered as Fred ducked past him and out the door.

“What was that all about?” asked Lorne, following Gunn to the mini-fridge.

“Nothing,” said Gunn coldly, taking out a Coke and setting it on the table.

“Oh,” said Lorne thoughtfully. “Arguing about Wesley again?”

“There’s no ‘again.’ This is the first time we’ve-“ he stopped short, wondering if he’d been tricked.

Lorne winked at him. “See? You don’t need to sing for me to know your business.”

Gunn made a face.

“So you want to talk about it?” asked Lorne, sitting down at Cordelia’s desk.

“There’s nothing to talk about. Fred thinks we should go check up on Wesley. I think we should forget about him. End of story.” Gunn leaned against the counter, Coke forgotten on the table.

“Uh-huh,” Lorne sighed. “I’m on your side with this one. Wesley betrayed us. Stole Angel’s kid, hit me over the head. Why shouldn’t we hate the little traitor?”

Gunn blinked a few times. “I never said we should hate him. He meant to help but-“

“No, no. I realize you’re trying to play devil’s advocate but really, you were right. Wesley deserves whatever he gets… Who cares if he was there for you when Angel wasn’t, stood beside you through countless fights… none of that should matter now that he’s made a mistake, right.”

Gunn just looked at him. “You really suck, man.”

Lorne shrugged. “Only after a few drinks- but that’s not really important right now. Right now you get to explain why someone who has loved you like a brother is now someone to be forgotten about.”

Gunn couldn’t help but let out a snicker. “Like a brother. Yeah, that’s kind of the problem,” he muttered bitterly.

Lorne just stared at him, the meaning behind Gunn’s words taking a few seconds to sink in “Well, color me shocked- ‘cause that’s a good look for me. You and Wesley…”

“There is no me and Wesley,” said Gunn bitterly. “There never will be.”

Lorne clicked his tongue in sympathy. “Awww, the burdens of being in love with a straight man…”

Gunn straightened up, indignant. “I’m not in love with him. I ain’t gay.”

“Oh, really?” asked Lorne, rising to his feet and walking over to Gunn. “Show me your wallet.”

“What?”

Lorne rolled his eyes. “I’m not trying to rob you, Mr. Paranoia.” He held out his hand.

Gunn sighed and fished his wallet out of his back pocket, slapping it into the Host’s outstretched hand. “Don’t know what you’re going to prove by looking in my wallet,” he muttered.

Lorne ignored Gunn’s mutterings and opened the wallet. Looking inside, a slow smile spread over the demon’s thin red lips. He looked from the wallet to Gunn and back again.

“What?” asked Gunn again.

“What’s the first picture a man has in his wallet, Gunn?” Lorne lifted the wallet to remind Gunn what the first picture in his wallet was- a sweaty, grinning Wesley; taken by Cordelia the time he’d tried to teach Gunn rugby.

“Whatever, man. That don’t make no difference.”

Lorne looked at him for a long moment and then folded the wallet and quietly handed it back. “Two surprises in one hour. This must be my lucky day.” Conversation over, Lorne walked into the lobby.

“Hey,” called Gunn from the office, following Lorne. “Just what’s that supposed to mean?”

Suppressing a smile, Lorne turned around. “All that set up of looking in your wallet was me trying to help you see how you feel about Wesley. You could have saved me the trouble of all that just by telling me you already knew.”

“There’s nothing to ‘know’, Lorne. Stop acting like there’s something.”

“Sweetie, you don’t get Brownie Points for denial. You like him, you know you do. All this anger and wanting to forget about him is just the tough guy inside rejecting the truth.” Lorne walked over and put a hand on Gunn’s shoulder. “It’s ok, you know. Liking him isn’t a crime,” a grin passed over the host’s face. “The sex probably should be…”

There was a surge of emotion in side Gunn as he was suddenly split in two. Half of him wanted to shove Lorne away, tell him that he wasn’t gay and that Wesley could go to hell for all he cared. Then he’d find Fred and show her just how straight he was.

And the other half… the other half wanted Wesley. Plain and simple. One of those pathetic unrequited love things that threatened to turn him into a fucking fool.

Lorne saw the fight taking place behind Gunn’s eyes and spoke quietly. “You’ll never know unless you ask him.”

Something like hope flickered in Gunn’s eyes and his breath quickened at the thought of actually asking Wesley. 

Lorne leaned in, conspiratorially. “You should probably go now, before…” he jerked his head towards the door Fred had exited.

Gunn nodded; slowly at first and then as images of Wesley filled his mind the nodding grew faster and a grin spread across his face. “I could do that.”

“Um, you should do that,” said Lorne shooing him to the door. “Go. Now.”

Grinning like a fool and not really caring, Gunn walked out of the Hyperion. 

END


End file.
